Pokemon Partner
by TheWelcomeStranger
Summary: Still finding his way after some months in Ryme City, Tim and Dad visit Grandma and he finds his Pokemon partner where he least expects it.


Tim's mind had wandered so much as he ambled around the Park that if you asked him later, he couldn't tell you what he'd been thinking of when it happened.

Probably he was thinking what he was going to do now, it was great that he and Dad were visiting Grandma together, and he needed to work out what he wanted now he would be living with his Dad in Ryme City. Probably, not insurance. Then what?

He heard a rustle and stopped, looking around. A tiny squeak he could have imagined hearing - and then he saw it.

The smallest Eevee he had ever seen, was lying on its side in the grass, tail curled about its body as it held its delicate front paws up to its face. They were unusual around here but not rare.

He quickly scooped it up in both hands, shoved his shirt up and cradled the little Eevee against his chest. Instinct told him to put the little Eevee against his heart, so he kept the creature in his right hand and used his left to hold it in the shirt.

The Pokemon Centre wasn't far.

It was cold but not unpleasant, and the Eevee wriggled in closer as he walked quickly, careful not to jostle it.

Nurse Joy was so cute she usually made him stutter but today there was no time.

...

Tim jumped when his phone rang. Dad wanted to say he'd be back soon and they could think about eating. "Hey Dad, I'm at the Pokemon Centre, everything is fine."

"Is Pikachu alright?" Tim explained that he'd left Pikachu snoozing face down on the couch when he's gone for his walk and that he'd found a baby Eevee.

"Is it alright? What happened?"

Tim got up from the waiting room and went to the observation window as he explained. Two nurses were working quickly but calmly, one smoothing and cleaning the fur of the little Eevee while the other bandaged the front paw that Tim had noticed before. He put a hand on the window.

Nurse Joy saw his worried expression and smiled kindly, informing him "She's a girl."

"It's a girl, dad. She looks like she's going to be OK. I'll call you when we've finished up here."

...

It hadn't crossed his mind to not wait for her. He supposed that he didn't have to stay, but he had to know that the little thing would be fine. Of course, she'd be fine here, but...

Nurse Joy sat down next to him and asked him if he had a Pokemon Partner. It was just ingrained in him to flinch when people asked that now - he envied the friendship between dad and Pikachu, deep down, wanting that for himself.

And then he looked down at the pink fluffy blanket she put into his arms. Nurse Joy was still talking as the little thing snuggled into him. He held her tighter.

"She's special, see her lighter fur? She's a shiny. It looks like she has wandered off and got lost, but if you take care of her, she's going to be just fine." He hadn't noticed the lighter fur, and cream ruff instead of white, only the poor bandaged paw. But it was so obvious now, she was beautiful.

...

"PIKACHU, NO!" Tim didn't mean to raise his voice so much but he had seen the expression on Pikachu's face! It was right before he was going to zap something to find out what it is.

Dad ambled in and saw his startled Pikachu looking wide-eyed up at Tim, betrayed by the rebuke.

"Wow." Was all he could say.

Tim crouched down so Pikachu could get a look into the little bundle he was about to shock. He sniffed and said

"Pi pi pi!" Then, "Pi Pikachu." The Eevee mewed and shifted in her blanket.

Dad smiled and translated. "He wants to play, and be friends"

"Pika piiiikaaa" Tim knew Pikachu well enough that he was happy and somewhat impressed. He patted Pikachu on the head between the ears and told him,

"She's a bit little to play now Pikachu, but you can be friends." Pikachu nodded enthusiastically.

"An Eevee." Dad continued, moving closer to get a good look. "So much she can be, so much she could do. Flareon, Silveon, Vaporeon. I've never even seen a Glaceon."

Tim couldn't take his eyes off the little thing. "She's a Eevee. She can be anything." Dad smiled as Tim got the brand new Pokemon milk to feed her.

Dad turned to go to the guest room when Pikachu climbed his leg and jumped up to his shoulder, getting a static-y scratch on the cheeks for his effort.

…..

Alone in his room with Eevee, Tim had sudden doubts from the morning came back to him. They'd just let him take the little one from the Pokemon Centre? He had no experience with baby Pokemon! He set her down, between him and the wall so she couldn't fall. How would he decide what

Tim woke up in the middle of the night, but it was quiet, so he wondered foggily what had startled him. There was an odd, dim yellow light reflecting off the ceiling so he sat up and felt a lump.

It was Pikachu curled up on his bed, which was unusual. His fur was glowing slightly, which was also something he didn't normally notice. Then he saw that Pikachu and his tail were curled right around his little Eevee, keeping her warm and safe as she was tucked up tight in a little ball. He watched them breathing quietly together for some time and smiled.

Tim took a quick picture on night mode and pulled the blanket up over himself again. What was he so worried about this morning? Everything was going to be fine, he would look after his new partner and together they could be whatever they wanted to be.


End file.
